UK Government Ministers In Huge Expenses Abuse Scandal

Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, Hazel Blears, the Communities Secretary and Paul Murphy, the Welsh Secretary, are among 13 members of the UK Government who have been dragged into a growing row over taxpayer-funded allowances.

[UK Prime Minister Gordon] Mr Brown has also had to explain apparent discrepancies in his expenses claims, which will be revealed by the Telegraph tomorrow.

Details of MPs’ expenses claims are due to be published in July, when 1.5 million receipts will be published by Parliament under the Freedom of Information Act, covering five years’ worth of claims.

But crucial information such as the identity of people to whom money was paid and the location of homes which MPs claimed on will be blacked out on the receipts when they are published, meaning many of the worst apparent abuses of the system may never have been uncovered.